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Damien

Mar 12 2015
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Join the Scotiabank Charity Challenge at the 2015 Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5K

By | Scotiabank Vancouver Half | No Comments
VANCOUVER – March 12, 2015

The countdown is on for the 2015 Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5K on June 28, 2015! Scotiabank invites runners who plan to participate in this competitive road race to give back to important causes through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge by supporting one of more than 70 registered charities.

“The Scotiabank Charity Challenge is an integral part of the Half-Marathon and 5K because it raises much needed funds for local community charities,” said Winnie Leong, Scotiabank Senior Vice President of the BC and Yukon Region. “I welcome our 2015 charities, and encourage runners of all ages as well as their friends and family to take part in helping us reach our 2015 fundraising goal of $1,000,000. Every step helps build a stronger community.”

Participants can visit www.vancouverhalf.com to sign up for the Scotiabank Charity Challenge to fundraise for a local community charity, pledge or join a charity team. Charity Info.

Through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, participating charities keep 100 per cent of the proceeds raised as Scotiabank covers all of the transaction, credit card and administrative fees associated with the fundraising event. Last year, the 2014 Scotiabank Charity Challenge raised over $950,000 for 77 local charities and, since the event was established, Vancouver is approaching $10,000,000 in total funds raised.

Each year, three event charities are selected as featured charities. These organizations receive increased visibility and exposure through the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5K to help support fundraising efforts.

2015 Scotiabank Charity Challenge Featured Charities:

  1. Women Against Violence Against Women – The Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre was founded in Vancouver in 1982 to end all forms of violence against women and to create a society where all women are free from violence.
  2. Music Heals – The Music Heals Charitable Foundation works to increase patient access to music therapy for children, seniors, palliative care, burn units, bereavement, rehabilitation and more.
  3. Tapestry Foundation – The Tapestry Foundation for Health Care raises funds for hospitals, hospices and residences in Metro Vancouver to enhance the care experience for aging hospital patients and residents in facilities operated by Providence Health Care – one of the largest faith-based health care organizations in Canada.

The Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon provides a fundraising opportunity for both local and national charity groups through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge. Part of the Challenge is a friendly competition between the charities for $25,000 in cash prizes consisting of $4,000 for 1st place, $2,500 for 2nd, and $1,500 for 3rd in the following categories:

  • The Official Charity that has the most fundraising runners.
  • The Official Charity that raises the most fundraising dollars.
  • The Official Charity that raises the largest amount of pledge dollars per fundraising runner.
  • An additional $1,000 for the Official Charity of the Fundraising Runner with the largest total dollars fundraised.

About the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon

The Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5K is part of the prestigious Canada Running Series. As one of Vancouver’s premier running events, the SVHM attracts more than 7,000 runners and walkers of all levels, including many elite athletes and spectators, to the city. The Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5K takes place on Sunday, June 28, starting at 7:30 a.m. for the Half-Marathon and 9:30 a.m. for the 5K. Register today at www.vancouverhalf.com.

About Scotiabank

Scotiabank is Canada’s international bank and a leading financial services provider in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Central America, and parts of Asia. Through our global philanthropic program, Scotiabank and its employees support causes at a grassroots level. Recognized as a leader for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has contributed on average $50 million annually over the last five years to community causes around the world.

Scotiabank distributes the Bank’s media releases using Marketwired. For more information please visit www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankNews.

Mar 11 2015
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#Modo8k 2015 Elite Starting List

By | Modo Spring Run-Off 8k | No Comments
VANCOUVER – March 11, 2015

The competition is heating up for one of the best elite fields ever at the Modo Spring Run-Off 8k in both the Men’s and Women’s races! Some of the top contenders are profiled here, with the full Elite Fields listed below.

See you on March 22 in Stanley Park!

UPDATED Mar 21/15: Wodak, Seccafien, Doerksen late scratches

2015 Modo Spring Run-Off 8k – Men’s Elite Field

Bib Number Athlete City Province Twitter Handle
1 Kelly Wiebe Vancouver BC @kwiebely
2 Lucas Bruchet Vancouver BC @lucabruca
3 Chris Winter Vancouver BC @cwinter3
4 Rejean Chiasson Toronto ON @rejean_chiasson
5 Corey Gallagher Winnipeg MB @coreygallagher4
7 Geoff Martinson Vancouver BC
8 Theo Hunt Vancouver BC @huntheo
9 John Corbit Port Moody BC
10 David Jackson Abbotsford BC
11 Nick Hastie Vancouver BC @nehastie
12 Joshua Kozelj Coquitlam BC @JoshKozelj27
13 Richard Mosley Vancouver BC
14 Takanori Haraguchi Vancouver BC
15 Bryan Andrews Vancouver BC
16 Stan Jang Vancouver BC
17 Skeets Morel Coldstream BC
18 Chris Napier Vancouver BC @runnerphysio
19 Drew Nicholson Surrey BC
20 Aaron Weidman Vancouver BC
21 Stephen Ptucha Richmond BC
23 Mark Bennett Vancouver BC
24 Kevin O’Connor Vancouver BC @Superkrun
25 Mark Francis Port Coquitlam BC
26 Keefer Whan Mount Vernon WA
27 Man Kong Chan Vancouver BC
28 Carey Nelson Vancouver BC
29 Evan Dunfee Vancouver BC @EvanDunfee

2015 Modo Spring Run-Off 8k – Women’s Elite Field

Bib Number Athlete City Province Twitter Handle
31 SCRATCH Natasha Wodak Vancouver BC @tasha_wodak
32 Rachel Cliff Vancouver BC @Dangerous_Cliff
33 SCRATCH Andrea Seccafien Guelph ON @aseccafien
34 SCRATCH Kimberley Doerksen Gibsons BC @kadoerks
35 Dayna Pidhoresky Vancouver BC @daynapidhoresky
36 Catherine Watkins Vancouver BC @runmommaster
37 Jen Moroz Vancouver BC
38 Katherine Moore Vancouver BC @Runningintoyoga
39 Lissa Zimmer Vancouver BC @lissa2s
40 Melissa Ross Errington BC @melissaross929
43 Helen Ritchie Vancouver BC
44 Kristyn Webster Port Moody BC
45 Melanie Kassel Chilliwack BC
46 Tara Klassen Vancouver BC
47 Courtney Powell Coquitlam BC @Courpow
48 Jill Costantino Burnaby BC
49 Karen Warrendorf Vancouver BC @kwarrendorf
50 Sabrina Wilkie Vancouver BC @sabrinawilkie
Mar 11 2015
0

Competitive Field to Race Modo Spring Run-Off 8k, by Paul Gains

By | Modo Spring Run-Off 8k | No Comments
Kelly Weibe breaks the tape to take the "W" at Modo Spring Run Off 2014

Kelly Wiebe breaks the tape to take the “W” at Modo Spring Run Off 2014

Just eleven months ago Kelly Wiebe lay deathly ill in a Vancouver hospital bed, a blood clot embedded in his groin. In an astonishing display of resilience the 25 year old from Saskatchewan recovered and went on to claim the silver medal at the 2014 Canadian Cross Country Championships just four seconds behind Chris Winter.

On March 22nd Wiebe will defend his Modo Spring Run-Off 8k title in Vancouver’s picturesque Stanley Park against a field which includes Winter. The race kicks off the 2015 Canada Running Series.

It will also open the 2015 racing schedule for the majority of competitors and the general consensus is, therefore, that it’s not to be taken too seriously. But with pride on the line runners of this calibre will have a difficult time quashing competitiveness. Bragging rights are at stake here.

Wiebe spent a month training in Australia recently and reckons his fitness is at a new level.

“The Modo 8k is just intended to get me sharp and race ready,” he explains, treading the politically correct line. “I have only raced once since the National Cross Country Championships back in November, so I am just looking for that race stimulus that you can’t really get in training.

“It promises to be a competitive event this year. I expect there to be some good competition from Chris Winter and Lucas Bruchet, but at the same time I think all three of us are really just looking for something to break up training, and not really something to smash. The main goal is to walk away from the day feeling healthy, and ready to tackle 12km at the world cross country championships the following week.”

Neither Bruchet or Winter the 2013 and 2014 National Cross Country Champions respectively, will be joining Wiebe at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Guiyang, China March 28th. Despite their best intentions to use the Modo 8k as a fitness run it is more likely they will not want to lose in front of the hometown crowd. All three are living in Vancouver these days.

Winter leads Wiebe in the battle of the "W's" at the Canadian National Cross Country Championships. Photo: Rita Ivanauskas

Winter leads Wiebe in the battle of the “W’s” at the Canadian National Cross Country Championships. Photo: Rita Ivanauskas

Winter spent five years at the University of Oregon before joining Speed River Track Club in Guelph, Ontario. [see VIDEO “Chasing Rio 2016”]. After three years in “The Royal City” he and his fiancee, Rachel Cliff, have moved back to B.C. He continues to receive his training program from Speed River coach, Dave Scott-Thomas.

“Dave and I continue to work together,” he reveals. “It was a bit of gamble to move away from the great program Guelph has built but the relationship works great. We correspond mostly via email, but if something pressing comes up Dave’s always available to chat. It’s definitely not the “ideal” scenario, but I am a senior athlete and both Dave and I know very well what I need to get me where I want to be – and it appears to be working.

“My (track) racing schedule has been such that I haven’t been able to do too many road races in the past couple of years so I am excited that the Modo 8km fell at a great time. I love racing on the roads and training has been going really well. I am looking forward to what promises to be a great, fun event on a beautiful course here in Vancouver.”

Wiebe, Bruchet, Winter and Canadian Olympic marathoner Dylan Wykes, who is also planning to run easy, all live within five blocks of each and see each other training occasionally. Winter represented Canada at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2013 IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Moscow and trains alone except on easier days when he and Cliff run together.

“I fully expect that I should be able to mix it up with those guys,” Winter says. “Kelly is a little more experienced on the roads and over the longer distances but Luc also ran a great road 5km (at the International Ekiden) in Chiba late last year. It’ll be fun to see how it plays out.

“I really just want to put myself in the mix early and try to be the first guy across the line at the end of it. I am not putting a lot of pressure on myself for this race. The important races are coming up later in the spring but I do want to run hard and give my legs a good test. It should be fun.”

The men’s event record was set in 2008 by Ryan McKenzie at 23:40. With the strength of the field being what it is there is every chance that time could be challenged.

Natasha Wodak and Rachel Cliff battle it out on the Stanley Park Seawall at Modo SRO 8k 2014. The re-match is on!

Natasha Wodak (left) and Rachel Cliff battle it out on the Stanley Park Seawall at Modo SRO 8k 2014. The re-match is on!

The women’s race will pit Cliff (profile), who will marry Winter on September 11th of this year, against defending Modo 8k champion, Natasha Wodak. A year ago Wodak set a women’s event record with a brilliant 26:37 (see Race Report). But it’s 24 year old Andrea Seccafien who could provide an upset if the other two think they can wait and kick.

A member of Athletics Toronto she is a training partner of Commonwealth 1,500m bronze medalist, Kate Van Buskirk and surprised many with her consistency over 5000m on the track. Her personal best of 15:52.06 ranks her 6th in Canada. But it is a very fit Wodak who will command the most attention.

“I am racing Modo 8k the weekend after the United NYC half marathon, and the weekend before the world cross country championships, so I’m not going to be hammering it,” Wodak declares. “I really love the Canada Running Series events, so I didn’t want to miss Modo 8k, even though it’s not an ideal weekend for me. I’m treating this race as a hard workout, in preparation for World Cross Country Champs the following weekend which is also 8km.”

At the same San Diego training camp where Wiebe took ill, Wodak developed a case of plantar fasciitis which curtailed training for most of 2014. Like Wiebe she had a good result at the Canadian cross country championships to salvage the season. Her bronze medal performance was just nine seconds behind Cliff.

“I don’t feel any pressure (to defend the Modo title). I just want to have some fun and enjoy the race,” says Wodak. “It’ll be great to have Rachel Cliff there again this year- we always have great battles. I’m feeling fit and ready to roll.”

Wodak volunteers every Friday morning at the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association and continues to wait tables at the Boathouse Restaurant on Kits Beach two or three nights a week to help with her living expenses.

“I have been serving for over 10 years now, all the while training every day. I’m pretty much used to it now. When I used to work five nights a week, it would be pretty exhausting. But now that I’m only working two or three nights a week, it’s not too bad,” she reveals. “Also, my employers are pretty awesome and they allow me to wear Asics running shoes at work. That has been very helpful, especially this year while I was suffering with plantar fasciitis.”

With one of the deepest fields ever assembled in both the men’s and women’s races there is no doubt it will be a battle to get on the podium. What a start to the 2015 Canada Running Series!

For more information & Registration, click here.

Mar 11 2015
0

Ryan Vs. Ryan

By | Digital Champions, Modo Spring Run-Off 8k | No Comments
VANCOUVER – March 11, 2015 – #Modo8k Digital Champion Ryan Chilibeck

Well, here I sit with less than a couple of weeks until the Modo Spring Run-Off 8k. Races sure do have a funny way of sneaking up on you! Until now, I hadn’t been feeling all that stressed about this particular one. I’ll slip out of the house quietly in the morning, go for a little run around Stanley Park & get home just as my wife finishes brewing a fresh pot of coffee, making some homemade scones and is ready (with sincere enthusiasm) to massage my sweaty feet. It has the makings to be a nice little Sunday around the Chilibeck household.

03-11-ryan-currentI remember having similar feelings (foot massage included) leading up to my first shorter-distanced race back in November. That 5km may not have been as long as a half marathon (duh) but I came away from that race with a newfound respect, passion & fear of the competitive shorter courses. They are a total head game. A calculated adrenaline rush where pace & stamina are critical to a successful finish. I loved and hated every single second of it…okay, I hated every second of it but the after party was pretty enjoyable. As soon as I finished, I immediately began thinking of what I could do to improve on my time for the next race. I was hooked.

So as we inch inevitably closer to the March 22nd starting gun, my main goal is (as always) to have some genuine fun on the course but also put up a time that my family won’t be embarrassed of. Just to make sure that my focus doesn’t wane over the next couple of weeks, I thought it would be best to light a fire under my butt & place a couple of wagers on the outcome. Who bets on running though? Who would be a worthy adversary? I made a smooth bet with one of the other Digital Champions that the loser buys the winner a growler of beer (FYI…you’re going down Alison!). Still, the fire wasn’t quite raring…

03-11-ryan-team2To my surprise, the answer came pretty darn quickly. Since this is one of my very first times racing in an 8K event, the only reference I had for this distance was from my senior year of High School. Each year, the Grade 12 class of Paul Kane High School (Go Blues!) would finish their Phys Ed term by running a couple of 4km circuits around an area of town known as Forest Lawn. It was called The Amazon Run and it was a pretty big deal for us back then. Throughout the term we’d spend a lot of our classes talking trash, placing farmers bets & secretly hoping that you wouldn’t finish last out of your friends. Fast-forward a couple of decades and it’s actually mindboggling how often I think about the Amazon Run while out training. I am always looking at my watch & calculating how fast that would be in “Amazon Time”. Would I come anywhere close to matching the times put up by some of the XC Team at our school? Heck no…give your head a shake man. Would it put me in the range of some of the greasy Hockey Guys? Still no…but getting closer. Please tell me I could at least beat my old self. BINGO! I’m going to beat High School Ryan. Nay, destroy him.

03-11-ryan-tripleTo completely understand my mounting motivation, let me bend your ear about 17-year-old Ryan. I wouldn’t describe him as arrogant…maybe complacently confident is a better portrayal. He was a decent enough athlete but carried with him a frequently questioned work ethic. Even though he was technically on his school track team, it was basically just a way to scam a day off from sitting in a classroom. I think he did the triple jump or something but he was certainly NOT a runner. He preferred to play supporting roles on as many teams as possible & by doing so, tricked school faculty into crowning him the Top Athlete at his school of around 1000 students. He actually absolutely duped them. Throw the guy on a basketball or volleyball court and he certainly wouldn’t be the worst player out there; heck, he might even surprise you a couple of times. Put the guy in some running shoes and all bets were off. He was mentally weak child with a very short attention span (plus terrible fashion sense & even worse hair…but now I’m just being petty). If the odd High School babe didn’t show up to watch extracurricular sports then he probably would have focused on his studies a bit more and made a grown-up career choice…like becoming an accountant or dental hygienist or currency trader.

The Competition:

To get this bet rolling, I decided to do some digging around on the Internet for official results from the 1997 Amazon Run; surprisingly, someone didn’t create a website to track our times back then. Come to think of it, I’m not entirely sure the World Wide Web had been invented quite yet. Anyways, off the top of my head I remember being clocked somewhere in the 38-40 minute range on that particular day. I was a little slower than the athletic skinny kids but a tad quicker than any of the Props from our Senior Rugby team. This is pretty much what you would expect from a lazy jock with a weekend of Big Bears & making mixed tapes on his mind.

Since I am not 100% sure of my time in 1997, I am going to cut it down the middle and post 17-year-old Ryan with a 39 minute chip time. Since he probably got distracted by one of the cool girls on the run, I am going to spot that mushroom-cut, little twerp a 1-minute head start. Thanks to my passing grade in Math 30, that means I have to run the Modo8K in 00:37:59 or less in order to beat High School Ryan. No problems, right? This would mean running at a pace of 4:45/km over that distance…certainly not impossible but definitely challenging given my current huskiness, creaky knees & everlasting addiction to ice cream. Has the making for a good battle!

The Wager:

03-11-ryan-teamOh jeez, this is difficult since I am literally betting against someone that doesn’t currently exist, was extremely unemployed at the time & also harbouring an unhealthy butterscotch pudding diet. He had no money & no worldly possessions other than his collection of patterned rayon shirts & SLAM magazines. Either way, here’s how it’s going to play out:

If I lose to 17-year-old Ryan then I agree to smarten up, lay off the beers (a bit) & focus wholeheartedly on beating my PB time from last year’s Scotia Half-Marathon. I also agree to quit stalling and immediately sign up for my first full marathon & finish it before the end of the year. Ugh. My poor knees…

If I beat 17-year-old Ryan then he agrees to let me sell all his old hockey cards & invest that money into a nice pair of running shoes for my daughter when she turns 17…in 2031. I’m sure her school will have some sort of year end race & instead of slogging it out in a pair of beasts, she’ll be laced up in the spiciest kicks on the market. She’ll be unstoppable (unless of course she gets her Mum’s athletic genes…then we will just encourage her to have fun in her fancy new shoes).

It’s officially ON!

So, how am I going to train for this race & ensure victory? To be honest, I probably won’t do anything out of the ordinary. I’m feeling half decent these days and I try to not focus too much on race preparation. I run to keep my mind healthy, see different parts of the world & burn the pizza cheese off my belly region. That said, one thing that 35-year-old Ryan does not lack is distaste for failure. I don’t like losing, plain and simple. Once the race starts & my perfectly crafted playlist kicks in, it’s all business. If you want to know how I did (and you just can’t wait for the posted results), look for me in the Beer Garden…I’ll be the one with the big smile, bad hair & the poor fashion sense. I may have become a runner somewhere along the way but unfortunately some things will never change. See you at the finish line, kid.

 

About Ryan

Oh hey there! My name is Ryan and I like to run! Birthed and raised in Alberta, I am now lucky enough to live, work & run in beautiful Vancouver, BC. While training for the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon back in 2014, I got a little tired of plugging in my earphones and hitting the pavement on my own. I thought to myself: “Self, running has to be more fun than this”. The next day I rounded up a few people and started the East Vancouver Run Crew. Our goal is (and will always be) to provide everyone with a pressure-free, questionably organized and socially driven environment where runners of all abilities could come together to meet, chat, do a little running and a little more chatting. Through this energetic (and growing) community we’ve built, we’re making some new friends, pushing each other to go on adventures and continually adding some activity into our daily lives. I’m pretty excited to see where we can take this.

Connect with Ryan:
Twitter: @meatysauce and @EastVanRunCrew
Instagram: @ryanmeatysauce and @EastVanRunCrew

Mar 10 2015
0

Take a Hike Foundation – “The Barn”

By | Modo Spring Run-Off 8k | No Comments

A single visit to “The Barn” at John Oliver Secondary on Vancouver’s Eastside will give you a clear idea of what Take a Hike Foundation is all about.

03-10-totemThis is where a large piece of timber is housed, now slightly chiseled away at by the students in the program, and in a few weeks time after much dedication, learning, and hard work it will be standing vertical as a completed Totem Pole. The many kayaks and activity gear stored in the neighbouring Take a Hike office only further explains the key components and teaching models of this particular at-risk youth program.

03-10-kayakTake a Hike, a full-time alternative education program, takes a slightly different approach to their curriculum than most. Their formula for teaching at-risk youth involves a much more hands-on restructuring of the academic lessons from the classroom, where many students find it difficult if not impossible to succeed.

“We take what happens in the classroom outdoors. We recently restructured a physics lesson by putting the kids on snowshoes,” says Jaydeen Williams, the Program Director at Take a Hike Foundation.

While the faculty draws on the adventure-based learning component of the program frequently, it isn’t all just outdoor activities. The program offers a distinct and unique advantage to its students through the support of a full time Clinical Therapist, Pete Prediger, who helps to understand the various elements of each student’s challenges. Ultimately his involvement with the students of Take a Hike provides a foundation of compassion and support while the program as a whole helps to show the students a way of life they have yet to experience first-hand.

Whether dealing with issues like substance abuse or worrying about a sibling they haven’t seen in four days, the Take a Hike staff not only understand the real-world problems associated with their youth, but are active in reaching out to discuss these issues with them one-on-one.

“Our resources paired with our caring and empathetic staff is what makes Take a Hike truly different,” says Jaydeen.

03-10-boardThe difference that this program has made on the budding lives of their youth is immeasurable, but certainly emphasized when graduated students later get in touch with the alumni to express their increasing understanding of the program’s teachings, as well as their gratitude.

Recently the program came in contact with a 2006 graduate’s success story when he decided to show his appreciation by donating to the cause along with his family members. Eric is now managing a dozen employees for a large retail shopping centre and working towards his Diploma in Security and Emergency Management, and says he is “most proud to be self-dependent, free of debt, and in good health.”

As active participants in physical, hands-on ventures, Take a Hike is a charitable foundation in the upcoming Modo Spring Run-Off 8k event happening on Sunday, March 22nd at Stanley Park in Vancouver. Show your support to this particularly active youth-at risk program by visiting springrunoff.ca for registration or donating here.

NEW THIS YEAR!

  1. Modo will be matching all donations up to a total of $2,500!
    Double the impact of your donations before the Modo matching funds run out!
  2. Fundraise your way to great prizes!
    The top 3 fundraisers will win a FREE entry into either the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k (June 28) or Vancouver Eastside 10k (September 19)!

About the Modo Spring Run-Off 8k

The Modo Spring Run-Off 8k is part of the prestigious Canada Running Series, Canada’s largest and most-prestigious running circuit with 8 events of varying distances in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. We are dedicated to the sport and the neighbourhoods we run in. Building Community Through Running, that’s what CRS is all about. To register and learn more about the Canada Running Series events, please visit runcrs.ca.

Mar 10 2015
0

Reasons To Run The Toronto Yonge Street 10K

By | Digital Champions, Toronto Yonge Street 10K | No Comments

TORONTO March 9th 2015. Digital Champion Carmen Do started running in high school after her friend convinced her to join track practice. Running up and down hills was hardly what she wanted to do, but eventually she fell in love with running and hasn’t looked back. Running has helped Carmen through the rough patches in her life and has helped her grow as a person. When she’s not running, Carmen is either blogging or at school studying and thinking about her next run. Connect with Carmen on Twitter and Instagram.

Reasons To Run The Toronto Yonge Street 10K. By Carmen Do.

If you have been running for a while now, doing you thing and having run, you may be curious about racing! There are a few key factors that every runner should consider when picking a race, especially if it is your first. Here are the things I think about and the reasons why the Toronto Yonge Street 10K should be the race you sign up for this year!

Location

Do you want your first race to be nearby or a destination race?

Picking a local in-town race means you can sleep at home in your own bed, wake up and prep in a familiar space, and not worry about forgetting to pack something.  Another reason local races are great for a first race is because you can have your friends and family there to support you on course or at the finish line.  Having your friends and family around for your first race can be quite exciting as it means lots and lots of (free) race photos!

Destination races are a great way to sneak in a mini vacation. If you’re not from Toronto,  why not plan a weekend getaway and sign up for the Toronto Yonge Street 10K?  You can get a feel of Toronto by running through the city and picking out places you want to hit up afterwards.  After the race, you can check out Toronto’s Koreatown, Chinatown, downtown shopping district, or hang out by the waterfront! They are all just a short subway or bus ride away from the centre of the city. Also, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to run down Yonge Street and then hit up one of the many delicious restaurants you pass along the way?

Distance

Why a 10K? 10K is a great distance to race!  I find that 5K is too short – there is no room for error, whereas 10K is more forgiving.  Racing 10K is great because even if you go out too hard at the beginning, you still have time to readjust and get your head back in the game. 10K races are short enough that you can complete them before the day “starts”, while still getting a chance to experience the race atmosphere. As a student, I love how I still have the whole day left to study afterwards or spend time with my loved ones.  Training for a 10K is also less of a time commitment than training for a marathon, but still challenging enough to keep things interesting.

Terrain

Did you know The Toronto Yonge Street 10K is a downhill course? It’s the perfect race for a PR if you’re not a fan of hill repeats! I don’t know about you, but they had me at “downhill.” As the website says, “Canada’s EASIEST and one of the fastest downhill 10k’s.” Check out the course map here!

Community

The Toronto Yonge Street 10K is made up of an amazing community of runners.  We have groups all over Toronto (and outside the city) that train together for the race and host community events to connect the running community.  Some of the groups include Tribe Fitness, Night Terrors (they’re not terrifying, promise!), Parkdale Roadrunners, and more!  See here for a list of groups you can join.

Mar 09 2015
0

Power Up Your Run

By | Community Leaders, Modo Spring Run-Off 8k | No Comments
by Katherine Moore (@RunningIntoYoga)

It’s OK if you can’t touch your toes.

Yoga can benefit athletes physically as it builds strength, endurance, stamina, and increases flexibility. It also teaches you to breathe more efficiently, improves mental focus, and can help you stay calm and centered during challenging situations. When you practice yoga, you are in a space where you are practicing postures and being encouraged to drop the performance based process. This can help relieve stress and anxiety and help relax your body in the moment.

It can also be translated to a great cross training tool for runners. During your training for the Modo 8k, you can incorporate these postures into your training program. You will experience a steady development of strength that will last your entire life. Remember: strong flexible muscles can help maintain a healthy, less injury prone body and a relaxed mind.

03-09-yoga-lungeHigh Lunge

Stack the right knee over the right ankle and walk the left foot behind you. Lift high onto the ball of the foot. Press your inner left knee up and engage the thigh muscle. Keep bending the right knee until the right thigh is parallel to the floor. Push into both feet and lengthen the upper body. To challenge yourself, slowly lower the back knee to the floor 5-10 times to strengthen your legs. Keep the abdomen lifted and engaged the whole time. Breathe slowly and evenly.
Opens the hips and groin, strengthens the lower body and improves balance and stability.

03-09-yoga-warriorWarrior Two

Stand with feet below the wrists. Turn the right foot out so it lines up with the center ankle, center knee and hip. Bend your right knee until the thigh is parallel to the floor. Push strongly through the left leg and the outer edge of the left foot. Keep your spine centered lift your chest and engage your abdonminals. Extend through both arms and breathe evenly. Take 10-15 breaths on each side.
Opens the hips and groin, strengthens the whole body, improves balance, and stabilizes the hips and pelvis.

03-09-yoga-plankPlank

Place forearms on the floor. Stack your shoulders over your elbows and walk your knees back until your hips are in line with your shoulders. Lift your knees off the floor with toes tucked under. Lift inner knees and engage thigh muscles. Keep abdominal muscles engaged and front ribs lifted in. Keep a long, toned upper torso. Breathe slowly and evenly. Stay as long as you can keep breath even and proper alignment. To modify place knees to the floor.
Strengthens the whole body, builds endurance and stamina.

03-09-yoga-treeTree Pose

Standing on the right foot, lift the left foot and place it on your inner shin or thigh (not on the inner knee). Push strongly through the standing foot and engage the right thigh muscle. Lengthen your tailbone and lift the abdomen. Keep the hips aligned. Lengthen and lift the spine and chest. Extend the arms up over your head and balance for 10-15 breaths.
Strengthens the lower body and opens the hips. Improves balance and coordination. This pose leaves you in a state of rejuvenation.

Mar 08 2015
0

Outrun Winter.

By | Community Leaders, Harry's Spring Run-Off | No Comments

TORONTO March 8th 2015. Community Leader Christa Davidson added running back into her life in 2011 as an outlet to heal from alcohol addiction. She credits running and the social media community as major supportive factors in her recovery. Christa values the connections and experiences that have graced her life because of running. She also loves to write and sometimes her work can be found at iRun magazine. Connect with Christa on Twitter and Instagram.

Outrun Winter. By Christa Davidson.

Each day the mercury taunts us with another day of sub-zero temperatures, it is hard to imagine that in a matter of weeks our weather conditions will take a turn and we will tuck winter away for another year.

Those sunshiny, warm spring days are within reach even as the harshness of winter seems relentless. For now, just hang on. We have made it this far, in what some are calling the coldest winter in memory and, as runners we can handle adversity, so this too, we can survive.

Think of this last stretch of winter like your final 2 sets of repeats or like the last 2 kilometers of a race. The end is within reach, even if we can’t see it, we know it is there. When you begin to feel the end is near, what happens? You get a little kick to your step; your mind says ‘Yes I Can’ and you begin to realize that you have done something great. This is where you get the last bit of energy and drive to make it to the end even when you are beaten down. You straighten up, your legs start to turn over and maybe you crack a smile.

You are outrunning winter and guess what? Winter will eventually fold up like a tent and be run out of town, but you won’t. Do not give winter another ounce of your disdain, instead think of where you are headed; warm breezes, singing birds, early sunrises and the sound of your feet on bare roads.

As we run from winter, we run towards spring. When we think of spring, we get the itch to perform. Where do we perform best; the race course, of course! No matter what your ability or pace, nothing fills you up with pride and inspiration like being around other runners who are ready to run. Where there are runners, there is electricity in the air and you cannot buy that feeling in any back alley or bar. This is a great way to celebrate and embrace spring. It’s also a time to re-commit to your running goals because for many, spring is a new beginning; inspiration for a fresh start.

A great place to say goodbye to winter and hello to spring is at Harry’s Spring Run-Off 8K & 5K!  On Saturday April 4th, runners will work their way through High Park, surrounded by singing birds and trees that are coming back to life. This is a chance to congregate with other runners who are soaking in the signs of spring, as well as an opportunity to do something to help Conquer Prostate Cancer in our lifetime. 

If you’re running, you can come decked out in your finest suit and participate in the “Best Dressed Contest.” Need some fashion inspiration? Check out Canada Running Series’ list of “The Top 10 Most Stylish Runners of Harry’s Spring Run-Off.” If you’re coming out to cheer, you can join the “#KillTheHill Ultimate Cheer Station” with Tribe Fitness and cheer on your favourite runner as they make their way up Spring Road Hill in the final stretch of the race! Come out and join us in welcoming a new season of training and racing and don’t forget your running shoes and cowbells.

Register to run Harry’s Spring Run-Off. 

Mar 04 2015
0

Train Smarter Not Harder!

By | Digital Champions, Modo Spring Run-Off 8k | No Comments

VANCOUVER March 4th 2015. Digital Champion Stephanie Harrap started running cross country and track in high school and completed her first half-marathon in 2008. Since then she’s run 8 more halves and 3 marathons. The half is her favourite distance to race, but her best running moment was crossing the finish line of her most recent marathon and qualifying for Boston. When she’s not pounding the pavement or local trails, Stephanie work as a physiotherapist and spends the rest of her time planning her next travel adventure and refining her culinary skills. Connect with Stephanie on Instagram. 

Train Smarter Not Harder! By Stephanie Harrap

A lot of people use the high rate of injuries in running as a reason not to lace up their runners and sign up for a race. But the truth is most running injuries don’t come out of nowhere, in fact most are the result of training errors which are often preventable. After taking courses with some experts on injury prevention, suffering with my own running injuries, as well as seeing many of the same injuries come through my clinic, I’ve come up with some of my favourite tips and tricks for having a longer, happier and healthier running career.

Steph Harrap Blog 1Balance your Body!

In order to keep your body in balance while you’re hustling down the pavement week to week, you need to build strong and mobile muscles.

Strength training- Strengthening the hips and core will give you the most bang for your buck! When you strengthen these muscle groups, you can give stability across the pelvis, all the way down to the knees and ankles. This can help prevent common injuries such as IT band pain and runners knee.

Stretching- Immobile, shortened muscles can limit your function and leave you at risk of injury. This is where I would say do as I say not as I do, I try my best to stretch, but it still remains my nemesis! I’ve found doing weekly yoga, foam rolling and using a tennis ball works better for me.

Not every run is a race!

It’s hard, especially when you’re feeling good, Steph Harrap Blog 3not to throw caution to the wind and treat every training run like you’re competing for gold. But not every run should be “hard”, in fact it should be the opposite! You should be able to carry out a full conversation on 80% of your runs (even if it’s with yourself) and you should only spend 20% of your weekly mileage gasping for [what feels like] your last breath.  Don’t fall into the trap of running every run at that “comfortably uncomfortable” pace. It may feel like you’re making the best use of your training time, but long term it can lead to trouble sleeping, injury and can even make you slower!

Listen to your Body

Don’t run through pain! This seems like the most obvious point in theory, but is often the most difficult in practice. When you are in the throes of training for a race and a niggling pain crops up, the last thing you want to do is stop and take time off, but this is exactly what you should do! Running with pain can not only cause a small problem from turning into a full blown injury, it can also cause long term changes in the way we run. So at the first sign of an atypical pain (discomfort that worsens during a run or causes you to alter your gait), take at least three days off. If when you return to running the pain returns, then it’s time to get some professional help!

Steph Harrap Blog 4Get in (the right) Gear

What would a discussion about injury prevention be if we didn’t talk about shoes! It’s probably the first question I get when people are just starting to run, “What’s the best shoe for running?” But what you really need to be asking is “What’s the best shoe for me and why?” With so many choices out there, it’s important to find the best shoe for your body, your distance, and your stride. Shoes can’t help fix a current injury, but being in the right shoe for you can limit your risk of injury down the road. So when you need new shoes (replace them every 500 to 800 km’s), go to a specialty store to get expert advice, my go to is Forerunners on west 4th in Kitsilano, they really know their stuff!

Obviously injury-and injury prevention- is tricky business, but hopefully some of these tips can help you avoid some of the preventable injuries that I have suffered in the past! What helps you stay injury free? What mistakes have you made and learnt from in the past? Connect with me on Instagram @anygivenrunday

Mar 03 2015
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Beer Mile World Champion To Run Vancouver’s Modo Spring Run Off 8K

By | Modo Spring Run-Off 8k | No Comments

By Paul Gains (@PaulEGains)

TORONTO March 3rd 2015. Although his personal best times won’t frighten Canada’s Olympians Corey Gallagher has been the subject of media articles right across the continent.

On December 3rd, 2014 Gallagher won the Flotrack Beer Mile World Championship in Austin, Texas with an ‘unofficial’ world record time of 5:00.23. An American by the name of James Neilsen laid claim to the record with a 4:57 clocking, run solo and recorded by his wife.

Now, the 27 year old Winnipeg native will line up in the Modo Spring Run-Off 8k race in Vancouver, March 22nd as one of the sport’s newest personalities. The race, held in picturesque Stanley Park, kicks off the 2015 Canada Running Series.

It has long been known that runners enjoy beer and over the years the major brewing companies have poured millions of dollars into road racing.  The ‘beer mile’ seems a natural progression.

Competitors chug a beer at the start of each of the four laps of the track and try to maintain running efficiency. The popularity has even seen former cyclist Lance Armstrong attempt the feat – without success.  The Flotrack Beer Mile World Championships attracted a stellar field competing for the $2,500US first place prize money although repeated attempts to get Jim Nielsen to compete were unsuccessful.

Among those Gallagher crushed in Austin, Texas that day was the 2013 IAAF World Championship 800m silver medalist, Nick Symmonds.  The American, who was also 5th in the 2012 Olympic 800m final and has a personal best mile time of 3:34.55 (roughly equivalent to a 3:52 mile), left Austin with respect for his newfound friend. He could finish only 7th in a time of 5:41.71.

“The thing about Corey is that he is a good runner, but not a world class miler by any means,” Symmonds explains. “However, when it comes to chugging a beer, or four, I’m not sure there is anyone in the world who can beat him. Combine good running skills and incredible drinking skills and you have Corey Gallagher, the world’s best beer miler.”

Symmonds ran a beer mile in 5:19 two years ago following the London Olympics. His participation attracted much attention. So when he turned up in Austin it was a major coup for the Flotrack Beer Mile World Championship. Gallagher certainly enjoyed hanging with the track star.

“Nick and I were together almost every night (in Austin) and after the event we went out and partied,” Gallagher says of the world championship race.

“There was so much respect. After the event we were hanging out and he said ‘I don’t get it, I am like a 3:50 miler and what have you run?’ I said I had never really run a mile. I have run 1,500m in 4:03 (roughly equivalent to a 4:21 mile). And he said ‘I am 30 seconds faster than you.’ It was really funny to hear that.”

Photo Credit: Flotrack

Photo Credit: Flotrack

Gallagher is a postal worker who takes his training very seriously. Running between 75 and 80 miles a week he ran the 2014 Toronto Yonge Street 10k in 30:32. That earned him a credible 10th place.

“When training for the beer mile I am not just sitting there chugging beer after beer because it’s kind of counterproductive,” he emphasises. “You have to be fit to do it. You can’t just be a strong drinker.

“I like to have a few drinks now and then but, generally, it’s pretty low key. I work at Canada Post and I work at Stride Ahead Sports, a local running store, and then trying to get all the running in, get all the mileage in, I just don’t have time. But after the end of the week, or, after a hard run, I like to have a nice beer.”

In August last year he ran 5:01.6 at the Manitoba Summer Beer Mile in his hometown and so came into the world championships as a favourite. Since runners can choose their own particular brand of beer, as long is a minimum of 5% alcohol content, he was surprised to see all but two of his competitors copied his choice of Bud Light Premium.

He admits that the beer mile was originally a lark that he happened to be good at despite the fact that he is a moderate beer drinker.

“It was just one of those goofy things,” he recalls of his start. “I was always a runner, running at the University of Manitoba. We would go out in March and clear the track of snow and do (a beer mile). You would look on ‘Beermile.com’ and see some of the fast times people run.

“I think the first time I ran one I ran 14 minutes. I was throwing up, it was an awful feeling. Then they convinced me to do another one. I kind of learned how to prep my stomach, not eat too much before. Along with that I am a bigger runner, bigger stomach, and was able to hold it down then came the fitness and just being able to run that fast.”

Gallagher says his training includes drinking large quantities of water – not beer – on top of a big lunch, before going out for a distance run.  His fellow postal workers have praised him although with reservations.

“It has been pretty good (at work),” he reveals. “Everyone has said things but I don’t think they really understand the time that went into it. They really appreciate it and think it’s cool. But it is kind of the long running joke ‘he will finish his route faster if you just give him a beer.’ I don’t think they fully understand how much I run.”

Although the winter has been especially hard in Winnipeg, and he has been forced to spend an inordinate amount of time on the treadmill rather than risk injury on the icy streets, he is optimistic that he is in better condition than he was this time last year.

“The Modo Spring Run-Off 8k is going to be the rust buster of the year,” he reveals, “and I will see where I am at. Then it will be the Toronto Yonge Street 10k and I’ll see if I can get a p.b. there.

“Usually I just race around Manitoba. I don’t get too far out of town just with work, being busy, and stuff like that. But this last year I ended up doing the Toronto Yonge Street 10k, and had a really good time there. It’s a great race they put on there with the Canada Running Series. So now I want to branch out and get a little more competition.”

While his focus at the Modo Spring Run-Off 8k is to run fast – he has set a goal of running well under 25 minutes – following the race he will enjoy a beer with other runners at the Stanley Park pavilion.

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For More Information and race registration:
http://www.canadarunningseries.com/spring8k/index.htm